Kikumaru's nickname
by Tuli-Susi
Summary: weird idea about a nickname for Eiji given by a surprising person. No pairings


A/N: I weird idea about a nickname for Eiji given by a surprising person. No pairings.

Warning: mindless drabble (does it qualify as a drabble? What are the requirements of a drabble anyway?)

Disclaimer: I wouldn't be wallowing in student loans if I owned it…

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**Kikumaru's nickname**

"Ochibi!" Eiji glomped onto Ryoma. Again. For the tenth time. That practice. That _morning_ practice. Ryoma was becoming severely irritated. Oishi had even given up getting the hyper acrobatic off the freshman. Since he never succeeded. Only two people could, Tezuka and Fuji. And Inui if he had his juice. Unfortunately for Ryoma, Tezuka had a meeting with a teacher to discuss his term paper and the other two found the situation too amusing. So he had to put up with it for just…a…little…

"Minna! That's all for this morning! Good job!" called Oishi.

Yes! Practice was over! He could escape to his class!

None of his senpais had ever seen him change so fast. Or anyone for that matter. Kaidoh and Momo had even stopped arguing when the door slammed shut. Inui was busy scribbling in his notebook while Fuji was gazing at the door in surprise. Yes, _visible_ surprise. Eiji's shoulders drooped.

"Mou…Oishiiii," he began, "does Ochibi hate me?"

"He's probably just in a hurry to get to class Eiji," his doubles partner reassured him. "Don't mind!" He ignored Momo's quiet mutter of 'when has he ever been in a hurry to get _anywhere_." Fuji smiled again and tugged Eiji out of the locker rooms.

"Come on Eiji! Let's go to class too. You'll see him this afternoon, ne?" Eiji followed with a bound, his spirits already back up. Oishi turned to Momo.

"Momo," the Junior looked up, "please tell Echizen that it's Eiji's birthday. I don't think he knows."

"And I forgot!" the spiky-haired player yelped. "Maybe I'll offer to treat him to burgers sometime…I'll make him a coupon and a card during lunch! Ja Oishi-senpai!" the Junior rushed out of the room, soon followed by Kaidoh and Inui.

"Is that why Eiji was so excited?" asked Taka-san quietly.

"Aa," Oishi massaged his temples, "he won't calm down even if Tezuka gave him laps…"

"Well," chuckled Taka, "that's Eiji for you. Come on Oishi, we have to get to class too."

"Aa."

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"Ochibi!" Ryoma braced himself and managed to stay upright. Barely. He turned his head –with difficulty – to gaze at his senpai.

"Kikumaru-senpai. Please let go."

"Don't want to!" cried Eiji childishly and hugged him even tighter. Echizen sighed. Or tried to. It failed since Eiji was all but squeezing him to death. And no rescue in sight either. It seemed time for his secret weapon. A weapon that he _really_ didn't want to use…

"please let me go-"

"Yadda!"

"..." Ryoma muttered something. The second he felt the arms drop, he dashed off.

Eiji stared at the spot the freshman had just vacated. He couldn't believe his ears. Did his Ochibi, Echizen Ryoma really call him-

"Eiji?" the acrobat whirled round in shock, almost tripping over, to be confronted with a pair of green eyes and two worried faces. "Daijbou deska?" Oishi asked in concern.

"Eiji, what happened?" questioned Fuji. The red-head blinked at them both, then smiled brightly.

"Nandemoni! Hoi, hoi! Off to practice we go nya!" He bounced away, not seeing the concerned glances behind him.

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All through practice, Eiji was slightly less hyper than normal. And considering it was his birthday, it was rather noticeable. Most of the club members were confused, but those with sharp eyes – Tezuka, Fuji and Inui – saw Eiji glancing over at their freshman once in a while. Ryoma, for his part, looked slightly guilty. During a break, Eiji finally decided to approach the youngest regular. Fuji, who was standing nearest, strained his ears to hear the conversation.

"Nya, Ochibi." Eiji didn't glomp him. That was strange.

"Kikimaru-senpai." Judging by Echizen's tone, Momo obviously hadn't told him what day it was.

"Eto…it's about earlier…"

"…earlier?"

"…what did you call me before?" Eiji blurted out. Ryoma looked at him strangely.

"…before…?"

"You know, Ochibi, before practice, near the locker rooms when no-one was around." Echizen continued to look at his senpai in confusion. Eiji grew nervous. He hadn't imagined the whole thing…had he…? "Ummm… I _did_ see you before practice…right?...right? …Guess I really did imagine it…" Eiji's shoulders drooped slightly. "Gomen, Ochibi." He suddenly glomped the freshman before running off to pester Oishi. Fuji walked to Ryoma, offering a hand up. Eiji's surprise attack had left the boy sitting on the ground.

"Ne, Echizen-kun," Fuji began with a smile, "do you know what he meant?" Echizen hesitated, then nodded. Fuji waited patiently.

"…he ambushed me like he said, but since no-one was around, I called him by a nickname and he was shocked, so he let me go…" Fuji's eyes opened in interest. He knew the boy wouldn't say anything hurtful, so what could have shocked Eiji so much?

"What did you call him?" Ryoma blushed and tugged his hat down. Fuji's grin widened when he heard the reply.

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Practice had ended and seven of the nine Regulars were waiting outside for Oishi, and more specifically, Eiji. Ryoma – since Momo hadn't told him – had no idea what was going on. He had asked Fuji, but all he got in answer was 'wait and see.'

Eiji rounded the corner and was greeted by a shout. (well, mostly Momo, the others were quieter and Ryoma and Tezuka didn't say anything.)

"Happy Birthday! GREAT-O! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EIJI!" (Yes, Taka-san was holding his racket) Eiji gasped in surprise, then glomped onto Oishi.

"Oishii! That's why you made me wait ne? Arigatou minna!" the Regulars each stepped forward and handed him a present or a card with a quick 'Happy Birthday'. When it was his turn, Ryoma tugged his hat brim down.

"Sumimasen, senpai. I didn't know it was your birthday…" Eiji laughed.

"No problem Ochibi-chan! You can give me a hug instead!" Ryoma's eyes widened as Momo, Taka-san, Oishi and Fuji burst out laughing. Kaidoh hissed in amusement and Inui's glasses glinted, matching his (slightly) maniacal grin. Even Tezuka smiled slightly. Though no-one noticed. "What do you say Ochibi?" grinned Eiji. "It _is_ my birthday, nya!"

"Go for it Echizen!"

"Fshuu…its senpai's request Echizen…and it's his birthday."

"There's a 95 chance that Echizen will refuse."

"That's a great idea Eiji." Fuji smiled and bent down, whispering something in the freshman's ear. The boy's golden eyes widened even more.

"Yadda!" he stepped back, staring at the smiling tensai in horror.

"Saa Echizen. It would make his day."

"Yadda!" The others were watching them with interest. It was intriguing to know what their resident sadist was planning. Said sadist turned to his best friend.

"Ne Eiji, you weren't dreaming earlier." Most people bore confused faces. "You did see Echizen before practice, ne, Echizen." Said freshman shot a hard glare at the smiling boy.

"You'll pay for this Fuji-senpai," he growled before walking up to Eiji.

To everyone's shock. He hugged the stunned acrobat around his middle.

"Happy Birthday…" Fuji coughed politely. "…Happy Birthday…Kiku-kun…"

Tezuka's eyes widened. Oishi froze. Taka-san dropped his racket. Inui dropped his notebook. Kaidoh dropped his bag. Momo dropped his jaw. Fuji continued to smile serenely. There was a shocked silence…then…

"NYA! OCHIBI!" Ryoma gasped as Eiji pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "OCHIBI CALLED ME A NICKNAME! FUJI! DID YOU HEAR?!"

"Hai Eiji," Fuji smiled sweetly at the glare that Ryoma somehow managed to give from between the hyper acrobat's arms. "He called you Kiku-kun. Kawaii, ne?" Fuji's voice broke through their stunned state. Inui dived for his notebook, almost ripping pages out trying to get to his section on Ryoma before scribbling so furiously that the pencil almost broke. Kaidoh coughed, blushing slightly as he bent to pick up his bag. Momo and Taka began chuckling at Ryoma's current predicament while Oishi tried desperately to convince Eiji that he was on the verge of strangling his small kouhai. Tezuka cleared his throat slightly, blinking his eyes and pointedly ignoring Fuji's slightly wider smile, aimed in his direction.

"Eiji! He can't breathe!" Oishi tried one last desperate attempt at saving Echizen who had recently acquired a bluish tinge. "If you don't let him go…you won't be able to hear that nickname again!" The mother-hen sighed in relief as his partner promptly released a dizzy and panting Ryoma.

"This…doesn't…go…beyond…the...Regulars…got it?" The small boy wheezed.

"Of course Echizen. We won't breathe a word to the non-Regulars." Fuji's smile was far too innocent, but before Ryoma could guess what he was up to, Eiji glomped him again from behind – this time avoiding his throat and not hugging as tightly.

"Nya Ochibi! Are you going to call me Kiku-kun from now on?"

"Iie."

"Nya! Why not?"

"It's a weird name."

"I like it!"

"…you're my senpai, it's disrespectful."

"…when have you ever been respectful…"

"Momo-senpai!"

"I don't mind Ochibi, really! Please!"

"Yadda!"

"I'll call you Ryoma if you don't!"

"I grew up in the States!"

"Please Ochibi! Please call me Kiku-kun again, please!"

Laughter rang out across the courts. To Eiji, no matter what Ryoma said, this was the _best_ birthday present ever.

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A/N: Weird, disjointed and appalling, I know. I just had this idea of a nickname for Eiji. And if his name is spelt Kikimaru, then the nickname can be Kiki-kun. I'm too tired and lazy to check.

So, anyways, please review and flame and tell me how bad I did! (just so I know that people aren't _completely_ indifferent. You can say 'good' or 'bad' or 'what the hell are you smoking' or 'I clicked on this by mistake' I really don't mind! …that much…


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